Clarksburg Town Adminstrator Finalist Withdraws

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The Selectmen will have to determine what to do next after the board's first choice for the post of town administrator has withdrawn.

John Sanguinet of Plymouth has taken his name out of running after a contract agreement could not be reached.

The board is scheduled to meet tomorrow and Monday to discuss options. Applications for the post, with a starting salary of $38,000 to $41,000 with sick days and vacation time dictated by the employee handbook, are being accepted until it's filled.

Sanguinet withdrew Friday, the deadline the board set for an answer and three days after being the lone interview for a town administrator post in Northfield. That full-time post has a starting range between $61,000 and $75,000.

Northfield has not made a decision and a Greenfield Recorder story cites board members as looking for more feedback from others and possibly pulling in another candidate to interview to "be fair."

Clarksburg is seeking a replacement for retired Town Administrator Thomas Webb, who was hired two years. Officials eschewed a search committee this time around, having Webb forward qualified candidates directly to the Board of Selectmen. The town received about 15 applicants and interviewed four, although the board had originally scheduled for six.

Northfield is on its second search to fill a post left vacant last fall. According to the Recorder, the town's initial search "netted dozens" of candidates, none of whom made the grade, and the second search 23, of which a number of semi-finalists withdrew or took other posts. Sanguinet, who has an extensive background in municipal finance, was one of only two finalists; the second withdrew.

Clarksburg also interviewed former Selectman Carl McKinney, Great Barrington Health Director Mark Pruhenski and former Becket Town Administrator Craig Kleman.

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